How is this done? For a start, Chateau de Pommard uses different types of pruning adapted to each vine, always preserving the sap flow of the vines to guarantee their longevity.
Chateau de Pommard's vineyard manager Jean-Rémi explained: "We shape our young vines using the 'Guyot Simple' pruning method, which is the most suitable for our grape varieties and plant densities.
He went on to say: "On older vines with two distinct sap paths, we use the Guyot-Poussard method, a variant of Guyot Simple. The difference is, we position two spurs, one on each flow. Finally, on old vines that are quite high, we often prune them in Cordons de Royat, meaning we leave four spurs."
Pruning while respecting the environment
Throughout the winter, as you drive along the Route des Grands Crus, you can see clouds of smoke from the burning of vine shoots. While tolerated, this practice harms air and health, so Château de Pommard's team banned it some years ago.
Chateau de Pommard chose to recycle its canes from pruning. The cut shoots are bundled in the rows and removed by the team. One part will be shredded and composted with bovine manure, which will be spread in the autumn. Chateau de Pommard's partner, Vitis Valorem, will collect and recycle the other part into biodegradable staples for trellising.
This method is part of Chateau de Pommard's commitment to respecting the environment. Through various eco-friendly initiatives, Chateau de Pommard aims to transform the Clos Marey-Monge, its 20-hectare biodynamic-certified vineyard, into a self-reliant viticultural ecosystem and protect it for the next 300 years.